By Abdul Razack Gbla
The Ummah Welfare Trust (UWT), through the West African Relief Development Association (WARDA), has successfully concluded a three-day national capacity-building retreat for Islamic educators. The retreat was held from December 26 to 28, 2025, at the Darul Uloom Raheemia Masjid Yusuf in Macdonald, Waterloo, near Freetown.
The programme brought together more than 2,500 teachers from Katateeb (Islamic learning centres) and Tahfeez (Qur’an memorisation) centres across Sierra Leone, along with partners from the United Kingdom and Pakistan. Participants traveled from various parts of the country, including Freetown, Bo, Makeni, Magburaka, Kono, Bonthe, Port Loko (Lungi and Kambia), Kenema, Moyamba, and Pujehun.
The retreat was designed as a strategic platform to strengthen human capacity in support of national development through education and community service. It focused on enhancing Qur’anic tarbiyah, leadership development, and institutional effectiveness. Sessions aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of Qur’anic principles and promote their practical application in both personal and organisational settings, while fostering a shared commitment to the Qur’anic tarbiyah mission, vision, and values.
The programme also provided an opportunity to review performance over the past year, highlighting key achievements, identifying challenges, and developing practical strategies to improve service delivery and community impact.
Ummah Welfare Trust is a UK-based international relief and development charity established in 2001. In partnership with the West African Relief Development Association, the organisation implements a range of initiatives in Sierra Leone, including education, humanitarian relief, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programmes. Through its Katateeb programme, UWT currently supports over 56,000 students in 14 districts nationwide, excluding Falaba and Kailahun.
The second day of the retreat was marked by the presence of the Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, and the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mohamed Haji-Kella. Both officials commended Ummah Welfare Trust for its sustained contributions to education and social development in the country.
Prominent Islamic scholars, including Sheikh Farouk Adam and Dr Ibrahim Salieu Kamara, also attended the retreat and delivered lectures emphasizing leadership, accountability, and unity within the Ummah.
Organisers described the retreat as a reaffirmation of UWT’s commitment to capacity building and the development of the Muslim community. The programme concluded with prayers for continued success and divine reward for Ummah Welfare Trust and its partners in advancing education and social welfare in Sierra Leone.